Freshman RB Michael Allen discusses expanded role with NC State
Michael Allen enrolled early at NC State in January 2021 as a heralded four-star prospect ready to join a crowded running back rotation in Raleigh. Since joining the Wolfpack, he has embraced the process, focusing on learning from those ahead of him on the depth chart and improving.
That patience is paying off in a big way now. Allen, still a true freshman, has emerged as one of NC State’s most productive rushers.
He started his career against UConn with a 10-carry performance for 66 yards and, following an injury to redshirt-freshman star running back Demie Sumo-Karngbaye, Allen stepped up and took a total of 19 handoffs for 113 yards. The running back averaged 6.2 yards-per-carry in his 4 games of action this fall.
“Mike has done a great job,” NC State offensive coordinator Tim Beck said. “His progress throughout the course of the season has been awesome, and it has warranted him obviously more playing time and carries.”
Now, he is one game away from burning a potential redshirt. Allen said the more experienced rushers in the locker room made the transition to college football pretty straightforward.
“It has been fun learning from all the older guys, especially being on a veteran team,” Allen said. “I’ve got an extremely good room just to learn from, so it’s been easy to adjust really, talking to those guys.
“They’ve been here, they know what to do and I’m just being a sponge, soaking up as much as I can. It’s a win-win for me.”
Arriving on campus early, giving himself an opportunity to adjust to college life and academics, while also building stronger bonds with the rest of the Woflpack, was super important for Allen. Once fall camp arrived in August, he was ready to hit the ground running with the rest of the offense.
“On a chemistry type thing, just to build a relationship with everybody, coaches and players, getting a feel for everything, It was huge for me.”
Allen did not play in the first three games of the season, including a 55-3 blowout of Charleston Southern where almost every athlete on the roster saw the field. He did not worry about that though. Allen was willing to absorb as much knowledge as possible for when his number was called.
“Being a competitor, you want to play but, just being able to learn behind veteran guys, I didn’t have a problem at all with it,” Allen said.
NC State suffered a tough loss to Boston College last Saturday, with Allen racking up an early career-best 77 rushing yards. With the freshman looking like a potential fixture in the backfield going forward, he said the team is ready to grow from the previous defeat and bounce back against Louisville.
“It ain’t nothing but positive vibes around,” Allen said. “We’re really not stressing anything. We know what we did wrong, we know what to fix, we know the adjustments we need to make and we’re out here making them.”
